6 Tips for Writing a Killer Blockchain Press Release
So your blockchain project or startup has a story to share? Sounds like you need a press release. Package your news into a slick PR, fire it off into the ether and wait for crypto and blockchain media to latch onto the story. It sounds almost too easy.
And it is. While the bar for featuring in some crypto news outlets is low, it’s not so low as to enable anything masquerading as a blockchain PR to make the news cycle. Far from it. If you want to get featured in tier 1 and 2 publications (and pro tip: you do), you’re gonna need to submit a PR that’s on point, and understand how to master blockchain press release distribution.
And how does one achieve that exactly? Glad you asked. Let’s run through some best practices for ensuring your newsworthy PR actually makes the news. While this only covers one aspect of your marketing strategy, it can help you engage your prospects by making the front pages of the crypto news cycle. Take notes, because we’re about to reveal the winning formula.
#1: Tell It All in the Title
No one likes a movie that gives the entire plot away in the title: “The Dad Done It” does not have the hallmarks of an unmissable whodunnit. With press releases, however, the reverse is true: you want to give everything away in the title – and in as few words as possible. This is something of a balancing act.
“Acme Blockchain Company Expands Into South-East Asia to Support Its Goal of Bringing Foundational Web3 Infrastructure to a New Demographic” may be accurate, but it’s hardly the stuff that clickbait headlines are made of.
“Acme Blockchain Pledges to Onboard First 100 Million SEA Citizens to Web3” has more of a ring to it. It’s all in the phrasing. Don’t oversell your story, but do your best to describe it accurately and succinctly.
#2: Let the Lede Explain Everything
The lede is the opening section of your PR. It could be a couple of bullet points summarizing the story or it could be the opening paragraph. Whatever the case, this is where you reveal the meat of your story. All of the pertinent points that make it newsworthy should be detailed here. The rest of your PR is for expanding upon the story; the lede is for disclosing it.
#3: Find A Captivating Angle
Journalists are lazy. If they’re to pick up your PR, they don’t just need the story: they need to know why it matters. Why should they – and more importantly their readers – give a damn about it? This is where your PR must add context.
The odds are you’re not the first company to be developing the thing you’re developing. That’s why you need to explain what makes it different. Why is it a game-changer? How does it improve on incumbent solutions? What are the benchmarks you’re breaking and the greater efficiencies you’re driving?
Don’t leave it to the reader to guess: spell it out for them. But don’t exaggerate either; reporters are many things but they’re not gullible.
#4: Add a Quote That Adds Value
Every PR should contain a quote from a senior figure involved with it; think CEO, CTO, or lead developer. It’s less important who provides the quote and more important what they say. Avoid cliches, don’t shill, and instead aim to explain the benefits of the product/solution being proffered in layman’s terms.
Don’t say: “Through driving greater synergies we aim to expand our ecosystem and onboard a new generation of stakeholders who will be empowered to tap into the many benefits that Acme Blockchain Company has to offer.”
Do say: “For years, web3 users have suffered with poor fiat onramps and excessive fees. ABC’s new fiat-crypto widget will make purchasing digital assets as easy as buying a coffee.”
#5: Don’t Wear Out Your Welcome
A press release should average around 400 words. If you can’t get your point across by then, you should probably return to the drawing board. Any concept that is too complex to encapsulate into a PR of a few hundred words is not going to achieve optimal results. 100 words either way is fine, but anything beyond that is veering into tl;dr territory.
#6: Sign off in Style
The About section of your PR should contain a single paragraph about your company and a separate paragraph about any partner featured in the story. You should not need any more text than that to describe your project and its relevance. Don’t forget to include links to your website and social channels plus a contact email for any journos interested in learning more.
Ready to Step Up Your Blockchain PR Game?
Press release creation and distribution isn’t complicated. But there’s still an art to ensuring that your PR gets featured above the glut of other PRs news desks receive daily. With just a few improvements, you can transform your crypto PR from filler into a killer, ensuring your story gets the coverage it deserves.
